What's a Girl to Do?
by tiptapcandy
Summary: Her parents don't know she's not at the Convent, she's the sixth woman page since Keladry of Mindelan, the Protector of the Small has taken a special interest in her, and the Goddess seems to have some use for her. What's a girl to do? CHAPER 4 UPLOADED
1. To Court!

            I just finished all twelve of the Tortall books and had to get this out of my system!  Well, here it is!  This is a story of a girl named Marion and her friend, the son of Duke Gareth (the younger).  This takes place the year after Keladry becomes a knight, so this is fall of year 456, and the 17th year of reign for Jonathan and Thayet.

Disclaimer: Everything in this story except the plot and my original characters (Marion, Ryons, and Stormbreeze) belong to the great Tamora Pierce.  And whatever else I'm supposed to say in a disclaimer insert {here}.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!  TODAY IS THE DAY!!!  I'M FINALLY 10!!!  TODAY I GET TO START TRAINING!!!"  Marion of Naxen screamed as she ran, no, flew, down the stairs, "To be a knight," she added to herself quietly.  Her dark brown chocolate colored hair was flying out behind her, and she forgot for the moment that she still had her slippers on as she ran out the door.  

            "She sure is happy to be trained to be a lady," the girls mother commented to herself.

            Marion ran down the street towards another house.  A black haired woman answered the door as Marion knocked on the door enthusiastically. "Good morning, Madame Cythera.  Is good sir Ryons of Naxen ready to escort me to the Daughters of the Goddess Covent?" she asked as the woman shook her head.

            "You better run up and get him going, Mari," came the reply.  Mari ran up the stairs that she knew as well as her own.  She ran through one of the doors and jumped on the bed where a chestnut haired youth still slept.

            "How can you be so happy _this_ early in the morning?" the boy asked.

            "Ry, I'm going to be one of the first girl pages since Keladry of Mindelan!!

            "Yah, about that, haven't there already been five…making you the sixth?"

            "Oh don't be so technical all the time!  One of the first, sixth, what's the difference?"

             "Um…five people?" Ry asked as Mari buffeted him with a pillow.

            "Get ready!!  The sooner we get there the sooner I can meet The Lioness and the Protector of the Small!!"

            "Keep your voice down!  Do you want everyone to know what you're planning?  And what name do you plan on taking when you become a hero, may I ask?"

            "Where do you get the idea that I'm going to be a hero?"

            "I had a dream about it last night.  I saw you doing something great."

            "And since when do you trust your Sight?"

            "Humph."

            "Get ready!" the girl yelled as she ran out the door, realizing her slippers were not her leather shoes she remembered putting on this morning.  "Jeeze, future Prime Ministers are so touchy!"

~*~*~*~

            "Are you ready to go, Miss Marion?" Ry asked as Mari jumped into her saddle.  

            "As ready as I'll ever be!  I can't believe I'm going to get away with this!" was the reply.

            "How are you going to handle letters that get sent to you at the Convent?"

            "Remember Elise who left Naxen to live with her husband?  He works at the Convent!  She's going to reroute all the letters to me at court.  Then I'll send my replies to her, and she'll send them home!  It all works out!  It's like the Goddess herself planned this all for me!" Mari exclaimed with such enthusiastic arm movement that she almost fell off her horse.  "I'm sorry, Stormbreeze!  I have been practicing my riding!"  Her black and gray horse just kept on walking as if to say 'Yah, right, I believe you!' 

            Ry looked at her sideways and said, "Who knows, it's always possible!  I mean look at the Lioness!  The Goddess helped her every once and a while."

            "Yah, well I doubt she would have any interest in me!  I mean, I'm lying to my parents, the Convent, AND THE COURT!!!  Now if you ever heard of the Goddess helping someone who lies then you can make me turn around and tell my parents the truth right now!"

            "Well ok…"

            "Now, LETS GO BECOME KNIGHTS!!!!  I'll race you!  Last one to the castle is a horse behind!" Mari screamed as she told her horse to go into a full out gallop.  

            "Well, Mari, the Gods have more in store for you than you'll believe," Ry whispered to himself as he took off after his lifelong friend.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Well, whatcha think?  I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this so R/R and gimme your idea!  That is if you have one…

~Tiptapcandy 


	2. How Did I End Up At The Convent?

And I'm back!

Disclaimer: Everything in this story except the plot and my original characters (Marion, Ryons, and Stormbreeze and any other random characters I stick in this story) belong to the great Tamora Pierce.  And whatever else I'm supposed to say in a disclaimer insert {here}.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "This is your last chance to go to the Covent and live an honest life!" a chestnut haired boy told his dark brown haired riding partner, gesturing to the big building on to the right of the path.

            "No way!  I'm going to be a knight if it's the last thing I do!  I'm surprised, Ry!  I thought that you of all people should know that!  I mean, we've known each other since we were born!"

            "Yah, I knew what you would say.  I just thought I would offer!"  After that they rode in silence for a while.  Mari was thinking about what it would be like at court, Ry was thinking about what kind of food they would have.  

            "Did you hear that?" Mari asked suddenly.

            "Hear what?"

            "Nothing.  Never mind."  Mari had a strange feeling that they were being followed, but whenever she turned around the path was clear.

            "What are you so tense about?" Ry asked her.

            "I just feel like there's someone behind us," she turned around again, only to find that there was no one there.  Once again she turned her attention to the path ahead of her.  'It couldn't hurt to check one more time,' she told thought to herself, so she whipped around in her saddle, and saw someone dart into the bushes.  She got off her horse, and signaled to Ryons to do the same.  Confused, he got off his horse as Mari got her bow out.  Pointing it straight into the bush, she said, "Come out!  I will not be followed like some common criminal!"

            Slowly, a middle aged Yamani man with a bald spot in his graying hair got out of the bushes.  "Knowing your aim I won't take the chance of being shot!"

            "Awwww!  Saito-Cham!  What are you doing here?  Daddy sent you, didn't he!" shouted Mari as she recognized her Yamani teacher that she had known most of her life.  He was a very good friend of her father's.

            "You're going to court, aren't you!  You're father was right about his suspicions!  He told me to follow you and make sure you went to the Convent!  You are going to turn your horse around right now and go to the Convent!  Ryons of Naxen!  I am surprised at you!  Helping young Mari to lie to her parents and sneak to Court!"  Ry looked down at his shoes guiltily.

            "Saito-Cham!  You of all people should know that I don't want to have to wear fancy shoes and corsets!" Ryons blushed.  "Please, let me go to Court!" 

            "No!  I refuse to let your father down like this!  You are going to the Daughters' of the Goddess Covent if it's the last thing I do!!" Saito-cham yelled at her.

            Eyes brimming with tears Mari yelled back, "AND I'LL GET TO COURT IF IT'S THE LAST THING _I DO!!!"  She then ran off into the bushes._

            "Mari, I'm sorry I yelled!  It's just I told your father that I would make sure you would go to the Convent.  Just come with me!  You don't want to be a knight!  You'll get dirty, sore, and you'll hurt yourself!  Just come with me and you'll see that the Convent isn't that bad.  Come back here!  There are awful things out there!  Spidrens and stormwings!"

            "I can take care of myself!" she yelled from the forest.

            "Mari! Come here this instant!  I'm not going to argue with you!"

"Fine!  I'll go!  But I won't be happy about it!" she glared at Saito-cham.  "Ry, have a good time at Court," and when Saito-cham turned around she snapped her fingers and a sea foam-green fire appeared at the tip of her finger.  She winked at Ry.  Mari's gift had gotten them out of a fair amount of trouble.  'Thank the Goddess my gift is good for unlocking doors and sneaking around!' she thought.  'I swear, it's like this has all been planned out!'

            "Okay, well, you have a good time too!  I'll write often!" Ry called and winked back.  'Maybe this year won't be as boring as I thought it would be,' he thought to himself, 'The Goddess seems to have an interesting time in store for both of us!'

~*~*~*~

            When Marion and Saito-cham arrived at the Convent there were young boys and girls there to take their horses and belongings.  Just then a tall, golden haired woman came running out of the building closest to them.  She swooped Marion up into a hug and said, "I'm so glad to see you!"  When she was close enough to Mari's ear that she could whisper without anyone else hearing she asked, "What are you doing here?  You're supposed to be at Court!"

            "Just a slight detour, Elise.  Don't worry, I'll be at Court soon!" Mari whispered back fiercely.

            "I'm guessing Saito-cham doesn't know that this is only a detour?"

            "No clue."  They both proceeded to giggle very unwomanly at that point.  

            "Let me know if you need anything!" Elise said, holding Mari's shoulders firmly.

            "Well then, I'll be off, if you don't need anything?" Saito-cham said with a wave.  "And don't worry, Mari, I'll be watching you!"

            "Believe me, I wouldn't put it past you."  Elise then showed Mari up to her temporary quarters.  

            "What are you planning on doing?" Elise asked excitedly as soon as Mari's door was shut.  She had been part of many of Mari's and Ry's plans when she lived in Naxen.

            "I'm thinking of lying low for a few days, then sneaking out at night and ride to Court!"

            "Ooooooo!  I just love a good adventure!  Can I help in any way?"

            "If you could just send all of my messages from my parents to me at Court it would be great!  I can't believe I'm going to get away with this!"

            "You know they'll find out sooner or later."

            "Yah, but I can at least make sure it's later instead of sooner," Mari said with a look that said, 'I'M GONNA GET AWAY WITH THIS!!!!'

            "Well, if you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask me!" 

            "Okay, I'm going to get to bed.  I'll need an early start if I'm going to get away with this," Mari said with a yawn.

            "See you in the morning!"  Elise shut the door behind her and Mari fell asleep after one more 'I'm going to get away with this!' thought.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I finally figured out where I'm going with this story!!  AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!  I LOVE MY IDEA!!!!

~tiptapcandy


	3. To Court Again!

Woo!  Another Chapter!

BREAKING NEWS!  Did you know there is a real person named Marion?  I didn't!  It's author Marion Zimmer Bradley!  She wrote the Mists of Avalon!  Well, on to the story!

Disclaimer: Everything in this story except the plot and my original characters (Marion, Ryons, and Stormbreeze and any other random characters I stick in this story) belong to the great Tamora Pierce.  And whatever else I'm supposed to say in a disclaimer insert {here}.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            Marion of Naxen woke to a beautiful sunrise, only to remember that she was yet to arrive at court.  'If it wasn't for Saito-cham and his promise to father then I would be at court training to be a knight by now!'  Slowly she got out of bed and got dressed into her tunic and breeches that she stole from her older brother when he moved out of the house.  She was walking down the hall when Elise turned a corner, walking towards her.

            "Oh!  I was just coming to get you!  We need to get you fitted for dresses," Elise said as she pulled at Mari's tunic.  "And since when did noble-born girls start wearing breeches?"

            "Why do I need dresses?  I'm going to be a knight, not a fancy pants lady!"

            "You'll need them when you serve at the Midwinter dinners and other dinners they require pages to serve at."

            "Oh, I forgot about those."

            "Okay then, let's go visit Oriel Tailor.  She's the best seamstress in the Convent!"

~*~*~*~

            "Hmmmm… Green really goes well with your brown eyes.  Try this," the very tall Oriel Tailor said as she handed Mari a green narrow bottomed dress with elbow length sleeves and a low neckline.  Mari walked behind the curtain and began to change.

            "How much does this cost?" she asked as she put one leg into the dress.  Realizing this way wasn't going to work she pulled it back out again.  As she pulled the dress over her head Oriel told her the amount.  Mari practically fell down when she heard this.  "But I don't have that much!  There's no way I can afford this dress!" she exclaimed as she looked herself over in the mirror.  She like the way it looked on her.  "Plus I'm going to be growing and this won't fit me for more than a year!"

            "Nonsense!   When you can't fit into it you just send it to Lalasa in Corus.  She's the best seamstress in Corus!  She'll be able to make your dress bigger and it will look just as good!" Oriel said as she leaned over to adjust the dress on Mari's slim frame.  "This fits you perfectly."

            "But I still can't afford it!"

            "How bout I buy it, for a birthday and going away present!" Elise said as she pulled the money out of her pocket.

            "I can't let you!"

            "But I insist!"  Mari ran over to Elise and gave her a hug that forced the breath out of her.

            "Well, I better go put this in my room before I get it dirty!" Mari said as she went back behind the curtain and changed back into her breeches.  "Thank you so much!!" she screamed as she ran out the door and back to the building she was staying in.

            "Spunky little thing, isn't she?" Elise asked Oriel with a smile.

~*~*~*~

            Mari spent the rest of the day preparing to leave.  She scouted the whole Covent grounds for an escape route.  She memorized where there were sentries, and where there were gates.  She finally had the perfect plan.  Now all she could do was wait.  

~*~*~*~

            Night finally came.  Mari was so excited she was shaking.  She snapped and her sea foam-green gift appeared at the tip of her finger.  She threw it towards her baggage and the bag disappeared.  Well, it wasn't actually as much gone as it was invisible.  She then performed the same trick on herself.  "I'll never get used to not being able to see myself," she whispered quietly as she locked her door behind her.  Walking quietly down the hallway, she tripped over a stone that was sticking out of the ground.  'Why do I have to be so clumsy!' she thought as she massaged her foot.  Her route was uneventful, and she got to the door to the courtyard with no problem.  Unlocking the door was a different story.  She tried throwing her gift at it, she even resorted to using a hairpin.  She finally remembered something her uncle had taught her.  Her uncle, Stefan Groomsman, is the stable manager at Court, and is an ally to the Rogue.  'Ok, he said that if I reach into myself then I can grab my gift and force it into the lock,' she whispered to herself.  Clearing her head she reached inside herself and found her sea foam-green gift.  Grabbing a strand of it she forced it into the lock.  An explosion jolted her back to reality.  When she looked around she saw shards of the wooden door all around her.  'Wow, the door must've exploded.  I better not use as much power next time!' she thought as she picked herself up off the floor.  'I better get going.'  She started out the door, once again pulling her bag behind her.  

            "Over here!  The sound came from over here!"

            'Uh oh,' thought Mari as she pulled at her bag more frantically.  She finally got out of the doorway just when two men rounded the corner.  She stopped dead in her tracks.  One side of her mind was screaming at her, 'THEY CAN'T SEE YOU!  KEEP GOING!' but the other side of her mind was wondering why the younger man was looking straight at her, his piercing blue eyes were very unnerving.  

            "Do you see the door?  SOMEONE BLEW IT UP!" the older man yelled, the light gleaming off his bald spot in his graying hair.

            'HE CAN'T SEE YOU!'  'But then why does he seem like he can?'  'JUST KEEP GOING!!'  Mari gave into her more sensible side and picked up her bag trying to make as little noise as possible.  The younger man turned towards the older man and ran a hand through his sandy colored hair.

            "I can tell you right now that whoever did this is not a threat.  They were trying to get out, not in," he said with a crooked grin.

            "How can you tell?" asked the older man, scratching his head.

            "Because we would've passed anyone trying to get in on the way here."

            "Oh.  Well then, no worries here," the older man said as he turned around to walk back.  The younger man gave one last look in Mari's direction and set off after his counterpart.  So Mari continued her journey to the gate. 

            "Ok, I have to time this just right," she whispered to herself as she hid around the corner from the gate.  She was watching the sentry and waiting for the moment when the next watch came.  She knew from watching them change earlier today that they had to sign off on a paper.  That split second where neither of them is watching will give her enough time to sneak out the gate.  Finally the time came when they were signing the paper.  She picked up her bag and ran for the gate.  She snuck past the guards with no problem.  She then walked along the wall of the outside of the Convent.  A while later she stumbled upon her horse.  Elise had tied it out there for her.  Now all she had to do was ride to Court and she'd be on her way to Knighthood!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

R&R!!!

~tiptapcandy


	4. So Close, Yet So Far!

Woo!  Thanks to all who reviewed, especially DeeSarrachi!  I hope this chapter is better!  (Mari is not a very careful character if you haven't noticed.)

Disclaimer: Everything in this story except the plot and my original characters (Marion, Ryons, and Stormbreeze and any other random characters I stick in this story) belong to the great Tamora Pierce.  And whatever else I'm supposed to say in a disclaimer insert {here}.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            "Well Stormbreeze, we're finally going to Court!" Mari yelled as she struggled to stay on her horse.  Stomrbreeze snorted back as if to say 'Be QUIET!'  Mari just sat up in her saddle and admired the forest around her.  It was still dark, but that was ok because her horse could see the path.  After a while, Mari drifted off.  She woke up when she fell off her horse.  

            "Great Mithros!  Are you ok?" said a voice that belonged to someone next to her.  Mari struggled to try and get her bow, but her horse was so high up, and she started to see spots as she got up.  She lay back down trying to get her vision to clear.  As she did this a head appeared in front of her face.  She would recognize that determined chin and deep set brown eyes anywhere!  

            "Ry!  What are you doing here?  You're supposed to be at Court!" she asked him as he pushed his chestnut colored hair back from his eyes.  As her vision cleared she saw a pair of bright green eyes framed by long eyelashes with black hair falling into them.  It was the other boy whose voice she hadn't recognized.  "Hello.  Who are you?"  

            "I'm Lucan of Tirragen," he said as he held out his hand to help her up.

            "I think I'll stay here for a little longer," she said.  She had the feeling that if she got up she would end up back in the dirt anyway.  "What are you doing here anyway?"

            "I was coming to see if you needed any help escaping," Ry explained.

            "Yes, well, I think I did alright.  I did run into some trouble when unlocking a door, but one of the people who ran to see what happened was convinced that the exploded door was no concern," she said, thinking of his unnerving blue eyes.

            "Yah, up until you fell asleep on your horse!  You need to be more careful!  Someone or something could have gotten you!" Ry said as he helped her to her feet.  Lucan rushed over to her other side to help as well.  As she got up she saw black dots across her vision, but was able to stand up with Ry and Lucan's help.  "Do you think you can get on your horse?" Ry asked, helping her to walk over to Stormbreeze.

            "I think so," she replied, putting her foot on Ry's knee.  She pushed herself up onto her horse and ended up lying across the saddle, her head hanging off one side, her feet, the other.  "Then again, maybe not."  Lucan got on the other side of her horse and together he and Ryons helped to getting sitting right in her saddle.  "Thanks," she said as she gripped onto her horse for dear life.  Stormbreeze looked around to look at her and snorted.  "Oh Goddess," she said as she started to slide off again.  Lucan grabbed a hold of her arm again.

            "Maybe I should ride with you," said Ry, climbing on the horse behind her.  She gratefully rested in his arms as he took hold of the reins.  He had always been like a brother to her, always watching out for her.  Stormbreeze turned and snorted at the extra load.  Lucan mounted his horse and grabbed the reins to Ry's horse as well. 

            As they rode, the sun peeked up over the horizon and sent light scattering through the leaves of the forest.  As they rounded a corner Mari looked up and saw the end of the forest.  She suddenly became very awake and alert with excitement.  A few minutes later they saw the great outer walls of Corus looming ahead of them, surrounded by rays of the rising sun.  Mari jumped down from her saddle as she landed her knees gave out.  She quickly recovered and started jumping around and screaming, "WE'RE HERE!!!!!!  I'VE FINALLY MADE IT!!  I REALLY AM GOING TO BE A KNIGHT!!" 

            Lucan leaned over to Ry and whispered, "Is she always this enthusiastic?" 

            "Um…yah," Ry whispered back.  

            Mari then ran back to Ry's horse and jumped into the saddle.  "LAST ONE TO THE GATE IS A SPIDREN'S DINNER!" she yelled as she forced the horse forward. "HIYAH!"  Mari was almost out of the forest when a string of web shot out from the forest beside her.  Before she could scream out she was pulled off her horse and into the forest by a spidren.

            "MARI!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And she was so close too!  Read next time to find out what happens!  And don't forget to REVIEW!!  Please??

~Tiptapcandy


End file.
